Loyalty

Where are the premium passengers at? United and Qantas are both pushing new projects that aim to deliver a compelling product and collect those higher yields. Plus a new inflight wifi solution hits an installation milestone and more!

How can an airline boost its corporate travel share? American Airlines trotted out a set of benefits this week that is comparable to some elite status or co-brand credit card perks, hoping to convert more potential customers into real elites with those CCs.

The co-brand revenue is great and JetBlue intends to continue expanding that stream. But the carrier also knows its TureBlue loyalty program needs a little more to become a mature offering for consumers. That should be good news for travelers, assuming the carrier can execute.

United Airlines announced a partnership with CLEAR this week, expanding its participation in the biometric security screening program. The carrier will make a strategic investment in the company, including the addition or expansion of CLEAR locations at the carrier’s US hub airports.

JetBlue will trial a new benefit for its TrueBlue Mosaic members this summer. Mosaic passengers on flights delayed two hours or more will receive a meal voucher at the airport to help ease the pain of the wait. Crew members were informed of the new program in an internal message this week.

Lufthansa owes the US government $25,000. The penalty is being assessed after the carrier accidentally collected nearly $125,000 from US-based passengers in “taxes” that were not applicable on “non-revenue international tickets” (i.e. frequent flier rewards).